med school vs. grad school

[on_the_fence]

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Hi, y'all -- glad to have found sdn.

I have this constant conflict between wanting to go to medical school and wanting to go to graduate school for psychology (I/O program). I'm just wondering if there are other people who are torn between two things or if most of you just feel that medical school is "right" for you. Med school seems to be the greater amount of work and stress than grad school, though I've heard that the material in med school isn't necessarily hard -- you just have to learn a lot in short amounts of time. I would have to work harder in med school b/c hard science doesn't come to me as naturally as the social sciences -- but I kind of like that.


I could go on and on about this conflict and the reasons I think it exists, but I just want to know if anybody else is torn between two completely different fields. I will be graduating with a BS in psychology in May 2005 -- I just feel like I need to figure out what I am going to do! My research experience and all needs to be tailored toward the career I am pursuing Any ideas how I can get off this grad school/med school see-saw? 😱

 

[periodic]

Have you shadowed some docs, or experienced a physician practice and the hospital setting from a provider's perspective in some other way?

 

[on_the_fence]

Yeah -- I have shadowed a doc, watched surgery, etc... I enjoy all of it, and I don't get queasy in the operating room (yay!) 🙂 I've also had some experience with clinical psyc (enough to know I am not interested) and am going to try out I/O this summer...

The thing I don't like about being a doc is potential of being sued and the way insurance is going...

 

[Celestron2000]

Think about taking some time out, working or something, to sort out what you really want. Med school is a huge investment of time and money, I don't think anyone should do it if they aren't confident that they want to be a doctor. A PhD is also a huge investment (of time at least.)

You could think about getting a masters in clinical psych, and see if that convinces you to finish up the PhD or go to medschool at that point. Having a masters degree in clin. psych. would only strengthen your medical school application and arguably make you a better doc.

Four years ago I was in a similar situation, I was graduating from college and just didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Now I do! It's wonderful, I have such confidence that I'm on the right path for me... and I think I'm gonna need that to get my butt through med school, residency, etc...
There's no rush. You don't have to figure everything out now. I f you want to focus your research on psychology now that will still help a med school application down the road. Follow your heart and do what you love. If you are seriously considering med school, just get all your pre-reqs in, take the MCAT... you've already got some clinical experience.
No worries. You're golden. 😀
-Cheers

 

[skiz knot]

Become a doctor and then do a residency in psychiatry 🙂

Solves both problems, right?

 

[seev99]

Become a doctor and then do a residency in psychiatry 🙂

Solves both problems, right?

yea u should do that! and you will probably make a ton more money than with a masters in psychology...holla!

 

[on_the_fence]

I originally decided to GO to med school b/c I was like Ph.D. in psycholgy = lots of work and little $$, but M.D. in psychiatry = lots of work and lots of $$$. The only problem is that I don't want to solve problems with drugs and only drugs -- I prefer combo of drugs/therapy or just therapy. I know you CAN do therapy/drugs as a psychiatrist, but I would rather do something else if I am going to go through med school (derm/obgyn/gp).

Actually with a Ph.D. in Industrial-organizational psychology, you can easily make six figures after being in the field for 5 years... so it is still a lucrative field, just not as rewarding.

I've reverted back to med school now... 🙂 Maybe I was just burnt out and needed a do-nothing semester. We'll see how it goes from here.

 

[jtown]

I've reverted back to med school now... 🙂 Maybe I was just burnt out and needed a do-nothing semester. We'll see how it goes from here.

(1) as someone suggested (albeit obscurely), there are ways to do both medical and psychological stuff, but only if you have an MD....

(2) i had similar feelings (although i was in engineering, so the step over to medicine has been a pain in the ass) and i decided on graduate school... let me tell you: graduate students who are successful are ridiculously passionate about their stuff... psychology may be different, but i can imagine that it would be hard to be successful if you didnt really love to work at it

likewise, where i work now (cancer research place) the PIs and the hard-core post-docs are here from 9-9 M-Sat and a few hours on sunday...

anyway, i found out once i was in school that i wasnt as interested in the subject and i had to take the time off to figure that part out...

 

[on_the_fence]

anyway, i found out once i was in school that i wasnt as interested in the subject and i had to take the time off to figure that part out...

I feel like I have done this constant start/stop. I come across something I think is wonderful, try it out, realize it isn't as great as I thought and then find something new or revert back to what I left (b/c it is better than what I left it for).

All through high school I considered myself terrible at math/science. I always made Bs. Then I got into college and made As in most science/math classes -- an A in a science/math class is a lot more rewarding than an A in social sciences class... If nothing else, all the see-sawing I am doing is helping me figure out that part of the reason I like medicine is that it is challenging and rewarding (in more than one way). So I guess taking time away from the hard sciences made me appreciate them more... 😳